St. Paul daily globe., 1887-10-30

M C)6NM and who seems very
NY m I;IClAN%Tom. The latter is
NJ IN rs \about twenty one
ENoM,1LLES WM years old now. but a
y ENJN<Z1[N veteran in expert
GNASzSYN& ence of the shady
sHHgakHH sort. Just at present
Nzs@8az1D' he is atop the heap
and is wearing diamonds. His baptis-
NAL name is Thomas =. Redmond, but
that doesn't make any difference-he is
Texas Tom to all men. Nobody here
abouts knows the girl, beyond the fact
that she is brunette from the head
waters, has pair of saucy eyes, and
cuts as pretty figure as need be. The
other day an old Western sport turned
up and spun this interesting yarn to
San Francisco Examiner reporter:
Texas Tom literally won that girl you
| Just saw him with, but without sword
or courtship. In plain words, he won
| her at poker, after one of the longest
and hottest sessions l ever saw over
| round table.
About three years ago slick short
| card gambler named William Town
send took a professional tour through
| the South. In Florida hamlet he en-
cOuntered beautiful girl of sixteen,
who accepted his flash for genuine and
married him against the will of her
parents, well-to-do and respectable peO-
| pie. Townsend showered JeWelry and
ric hraiment On his child bride, but she
could not descend to his level at first,
| and the coOlneSS that arose between
them soon after the hasty marriage
was rapidly widening into a breach
leading to separation, when Texas ell
countered them in st. Paul, Minn., a
little over two months ago. He roomed
in the same house, and after few
chance meetings Tom and TOwnsend'S S
| wife found themselves in love with each
| other.
Eight weeks ago last Monday after
noon Texas, Townsend and four others
sat down in Redmond's rooms to play
| poker. The game was small at first, %
cents ante. but the stakes rapidly
| swelled to figures that made it exceed
| ingly interesting. Hour after hour wore
away and heightened into plurality of
| days. and Texas won considerable
money. One player after another
dropped out, physically or financially
| eXhauSted; others dropped in and
dropped out, until finally at the end of
| three days only Texas and Townsend
remained. The pair ate and drank be-
| tween the deals, played standing up
and did everything but sleep.
| After the second day the game began
! to be a sort of show, and hundreds
| culated how long nature could stand
! the strain.
l. In three days Townsend had lost
$1,000, all his available cash, but he
! begged for short grace, which Texas
| granted.
1t was midnight. Texas stole an
hours nap on the table, while Town
send made hurried trip to his rooms.
His wife was asleep. and it was an easy
matter to carry off her iewelry, mostly
diamonds, and aggregating i'll value
I 81, 200.
While she slept, unconscious of her
| -losSI Townsend returned, woke up his
opponent and asked for an allowance on
the gems. Texas sleepily advanced him
| LOCO. and the play was resumed.
f. It'was purelya a scientific game. each
ii'man being too clever for the other to
dare attempt any crooked work.
All the next day the play continued i'll
the presence of crowd. attracted by its
protractiOn. Fortune seemed to smile
on Townsend for while, bat the tide
turned towards noon, and at the end of
the fourth day of the sitting Texas had
him cleaned out.
rs that enough?" he asked quietly,
gathering up his winnings.
No. it isn't sullenly returned the
defeated gambler.
"AlI right: what have YOU got to
bet?''
You seem stuck on that woman of
mine-what'li you bet against her?' was
the astounding proposition advanced by
the financially wrecked gambler, the fe-
yer for play burning at an uncOntrOlla-
| bic heat in his veins.
Even Tom was dazed. but only for
| minute.
''Make it freeze-out," said Tom, ''and
I'll 90 you the diamonds and 81 600 and
throw in my girl to boot"
The offer was accepted. A valuation
| of $50 each was placed on chips aggre-
eating over $1,000. They were then
carefully divided into two piles, and it
was agreed that each should ante. and
| that all limit should be removed.
''HOw do l know I'll get the girl if
win her?" asked Texas, as the cards
were about to be dealt.
Better ask her." growled Townsend; !;
81 only play my claim on her against
| your money. You, IL have to look to
her for possession"
A note was hurriedly written to Mrs.
Townsend, outlining the proposition,
and asking her sanction.
''Tell the gentleman y ran the answer
she gave the messenger, 'that l should
be pleased to be separated from Mr..
Townsend, but that Mr.. Redmond can
only claim the stakes by going through
the marriage ceremony"
'Judge" Flanagan, an influential pol
itician, was present, and after hurried
| consultation Townsend made written
admission of ground for divorce, on
which Flanagan said he could procure
| a SpnaratIOu in a very short time.
The announcement, with an engage
ment ring and Texas Toms cOmpli-
ments. was sent back to Mrs. Townsend,
who returned the following note:
Thomas Redmond: Under such conditions
| hope and pray you will win.
''The game is made, gentlemen" said
| Tom, with as much of a smile as loss of
sleep would permit to circulate on his
| haggard face, ''deal the cards."
Townsend dealt the cards and the
novel game commenced.
Texas captured the ante chip and
three more with it on three deuces
against tens up.
'sShe's miner' he cried. 81 always
win when / rake the first pot"
Townsend broke out with torrent of
Oaths, and the pair nearly came to
blows, only the intervention of the by
ISLANDERS causing the game to go on.
The prospective widower played a
hard game. He was wary and careful.
Again he won for time, but again luck
turned against him, and his costly chips
melted into the hands of the prospective
groom. With the tnrn of the tide
Townsend lost his nerve, and in the
double ante and freeze-out Texas cool
ness and bluff told heavily. The $50
bits of ivory travelled across the table